Systems and methods for hybrid energy harvesting for transaction cards

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for hybrid energy harvesting for transaction cards are disclosed. Embodiments include a transaction card comprising a data storage device configured to supply account information to a transaction card terminal, a primary rechargeable power source to allow recharging and further to receive charging energy from the transaction card terminal during a transaction using the card, a secondary rechargeable power source configured to receive energy from the first rechargeable power source, and a power controller configured to control a flow of energy between the first and second rechargeable power sources.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/170,099, filed Oct. 25, 2018, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods forenergy harvesting for transaction cards; and more particularly, tosystems and methods for charging transaction cards through hybrid energyharvesting schemes.

BACKGROUND

Transaction cards, such as credit and debit cards, have increasinglybecome a primary means for customers to complete financial transactions.In parallel, advances in sensor technologies, embedded processing, andwireless connectivity have fueled the emergence of system-on-chipdevices that can be implemented in daily use products. A “smart”transaction card hosts such system-on-chip devices to enable customersan enriched shopping and banking experience.

A smart card is capable of embedding information from more than onetransaction card account into a single card. A potential advantage of asmart card is that if a user has more than one account, the user couldcarry a single smart card that digitally embeds information of multipleaccounts of the same user, and allows for quick and easy access throughnavigation capabilities, thus simplifying management of the multipleaccounts. Smart cards can also support multiple functionalities, suchas, secure wireless pairing with smartphones, navigation capabilities,multi-factor authentication, and displays for easy visualization.

An important challenge for smart card manufacturers is addressing thehigh-power consumption requirements for seamless operation of the cards.Typically, smart cards use rechargeable batteries that have to beperiodically recharged, or non-rechargeable batteries that have a finitelifespan, potentially causing unpredictable interruptions in theirusage.

The disclosed systems and methods for hybrid energy harvesting for smartcards address one or more of the problems set forth above and/or otherdeficiencies in the prior t.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a transaction cardcomprising a data storage device configured to supply accountinformation to a transaction card terminal, a first rechargeable powersource configured to allow recharging and further to receive energy fromthe transaction card terminal during a transaction using the card, and asecond rechargeable power source configured to receive energy from thefirst rechargeable power source. The transaction card may also comprisea power controller configured to control a flow of energy between thefirst and second rechargeable power sources. The transaction card mayfurther comprise a user interface in electrical communication with thesecond rechargeable power source.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a transactioncard comprising a data storage device, and a power module. The powermodule comprises a power receiver configured to receive charging energyfrom a transaction card terminal during a transaction, and a powersupply unit. The power supply unit of the transaction card may comprisea first rechargeable power source configured to allow recharging andfurther to receive energy from the power receiver, a second rechargeablepower source configured to receive energy from the first rechargeablepower source, and a power controller configured to control a flow ofenergy between the first and second rechargeable power sources. Thetransaction card may also comprise a user interface in electricalcommunication with the power module.

In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for managingpower in a transaction card is disclosed. The method comprises receivingcharging energy from a transaction card terminal during a transactionduring a transaction involving transfer of data between the transactioncard and the transaction card terminal, storing at least a portion ofthe received energy into a first rechargeable power source. charging asecond rechargeable power source using at least a portion of the storedenergy, and controlling, by a power controller, a flow of energy betweenthe power receiver, the first rechargeable power source, and the secondrechargeable power source, and wherein the second rechargeable powersource is configured to supply electrical power to a user interface ofthe transaction card.

In some embodiments, the first rechargeable power source may receivecharging energy upon interaction of the card with a transaction cardterminal.

In some embodiments, the data storage device comprises one of a contactmode output component or a non-contact mode component.

In some embodiments, the first rechargeable power source may receivecharging energy through at least one of electromagnetic induction,inductive coupling, or resonant inductive coupling.

In some embodiments, the second rechargeable power source may beconfigured to receive charging energy while the card is not being usedfor a transaction.

In some embodiments, at least one of the first or the secondrechargeable power source of the transaction card may comprise anelectrochemical capacitor.

In some embodiments, the first rechargeable power source may comprise atleast one of an electric double-layer capacitor, a pseudo-capacitor, ora hybrid capacitor.

In some embodiments, the second rechargeable power source may comprise alithium-ion battery, an alkaline battery, or a nickel-metal hydridebattery.

In some embodiments, the power controller of the transaction card may befurther configured to control a flow of charging energy between thetransaction card terminal and the first rechargeable power source.

In some embodiments, the power controller may comprise a powermanagement integrated circuit, a microprocessor, a power managementunit, or an application-specific integrated circuit.

In some embodiments, the power receiver may be configured to receivecharging energy upon interaction of the card with the transaction cardterminal.

In some embodiments, the power receiver may be configured to receivecharging energy through at least one of electromagnetic induction,inductive coupling, or resonant inductive coupling.

In some embodiments, the power controller is further configured tocontrol a flow of charging energy between the power receiver, the firstrechargeable power source, and the second rechargeable power source.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing summary and the followingdetailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are notrestrictive of the disclosed embodiments as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate disclosed embodiments and,together with the description, serve to explain the disclosedembodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary transaction system, consistentwith disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of an embodiment of transaction card,consistent with disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 2B illustrates a bottom view of the transaction card of FIG. 2A,consistent with disclosed embodiments

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a power module of an embodiment of thetransaction card of FIGS. 2A and 2B, consistent with disclosedembodiments.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary energy harvestingscheme for the transaction card, consistent with disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of hybrid energyharvesting for charging the transaction card, consistent with disclosedembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hybrid energy harvesting, in the context of the present disclosure,refers to harnessing multiple sources of energy in a single unit. Forexample, as a first source, harvesting energy through electromagneticinduction between a transmitter in a transaction card terminal and areceiver in a transaction card to charge a primary rechargeable powersource of the transaction card, combined with a conventional chargetransfer from the supercapacitor to a secondary rechargeable powersource, may supply adequate charge to power the transaction card and itscomponents.

“Transaction card,” as used herein, may refer to any physical cardproduct that is configured to provide information, such as financialinformation (e.g., card numbers, account numbers, etc.), quasi-financialinformation (e.g., rewards balance, discount information, etc.) and/orindividual-identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), toanother device. Examples of transaction cards include credit cards,debit cards, gift cards, rewards cards, frequent flyer cards,merchant-specific cards, discount cards, identification cards, anddriver's licenses, but are not limited thereto.

“Charging energy,” as used herein, may refer to electrical energyrequired to power components of the transaction card, such as, forexample, display components, security components, transactioncomponents, communication and data storage components. A capacitor mayreceive charging energy by, for example, electromagnetic induction,non-radiative charging, radiative electromagnetic resonant charging,uncoupled radio-frequency (RF) charging, etc. Inductive charging andresonant charging both operate on the principle of inducing current in aloop of wire by a time-varying magnetic field. In practice, in resonantinductive charging or magnetic resonance, a magnetic loop antenna, suchas, for example, a copper coil, is used to create an oscillatingmagnetic field, which can create a current in one or more receiverantennas. If the appropriate capacitance is added so that the loopsresonate at the same frequency. the amount of induced current in thereceivers increases. The dimensions of the coil may also affect thedistance of power transfer between the transmitter and the receiver. Thebigger the coil, or the more coils there are, the greater the distanceover which charging energy may be supplied.

“Primary rechargeable power source,” as used herein, may refer to ahigh-power density and low-energy density power source, allowing powerto be absorbed rapidly from a harvesting source, such as, for example, atransaction card terminal, an automated teller machine (ATM), or apayment terminal.

“Secondary rechargeable power source,” as used herein, may refer to alow-power density and high-energy density power source, allowing thesecond source to hold more energy overall and provide a longer batterylife while being able to accept a nominal or slow trickle charge fromthe primary rechargeable power source. Reference will now be made indetail to the disclosed embodiments, examples of which are illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary transaction system, consistentwith disclosed embodiments. Transaction system 100 may be a computingsystem configured to receive and send information between the componentsof transaction system 100 and with components outside of transactionsystem 100. In some embodiments, transaction system 100 may include atransaction card 140 having a power module 145 and a data storagedevice, such as a transaction module 147, a financial service providersystem 110, a merchant system 120, and a network 130. In someembodiments, transaction system 100 may include financial serviceprovider system 110 and merchant system 120 connected by network 130. Itshould be appreciated, however, that transaction system 100 may includeadditional and/or alternative components.

Financial service provider system 110 may be one or more computersystems associated with an entity that provides financial services. Forexample, the entity may be a bank, a credit union, a credit card issuer,or other type of financial service entity that generates, provides,manages, and/or maintains financial service accounts for one or morecustomers. Financial service accounts may include, for example, creditcard accounts, checking accounts, savings accounts, loan accounts,reward accounts, and any other type of financial service account knownto those skilled in the art. Financial service accounts may beassociated with physical financial service transaction cards, such as acredit or debit cards that a user may carry on their person and use toperform financial service transactions, such as purchasing goods and/orservices at a point of sale (POS) terminal. Financial service accountsmay also be associated with electronic financial products and services,such as a digital wallet or similar account that may be used to performelectronic transactions, such as purchasing goods and/or servicesonline. In some embodiments, financial service provider system 110 maybe associated with an organization other than a financial institution,including a gift or reward card administrator, an airline or frequentflyer administrator, a merchant (which may in some embodiments beassociated with merchant system 120), a government institution (e.g., anagency), or the like.

Merchant system 120 may be one or more computer systems associated witha merchant. For example, merchant system 120 may be associated with anentity that provides goods and/or services (e.g., a retail store). The ne chant may include brick-and-mortar location(s) that a customer mayphysically visit and purchase goods and services, Such physicallocations may include computing devices (e.g., merchant system 120) thatperform financial service transactions with customers (e.g., transactionterminals, POS terminals, kiosks, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively,merchant system 120 may be associated with a merchant who provideselectronic shopping mechanisms, such as a website or a similar onlinelocation that consumers may access using a computer through browsersoftware, a mobile application, or similar software. Merchant system 120may include a client device, such as a laptop computer, desktopcomputer, smart phone, or tablet, that a customer may operate toaccesses the electronic shopping mechanism.

Network 130 may be any type of network that facilitates communicationsand data transfer between components of transaction system 100, such as,for example, financial service provider system 110 and merchant system120. Network 130 may be a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network(WAN), such as the Internet, and may be a single network or acombination of networks. Network 130 is not limited to the aboveexamples and transaction system 100 may implement any type of networkthat allows the entities (shown and not shown) of transaction system 100to exchange data and information.

Transaction system 100 may be configured to conduct a transactionassociated with the use of a transaction card 140. In one example,financial service provider system 110 may provide transaction card 140to a customer for use in conducting transactions associated with afinancial service account held by the customer. In an example of onesuch transaction, the customer may use transaction card 140 at amerchant location to make a purchase. During the course of the purchase,information may be transferred from transaction card 140 to merchantsystem 120 (e.g., a point of sale device). Merchant system 120 maycommunicate with financial service provider system 110 via network 130to complete the transaction. For example, merchant system 120 mayreceive account information from transaction card 140 by scanning amagnetic stripe on transaction card 140, receiving wireless data emittedby transaction module 147, or receiving data transmitted by directphysical connection with transaction module 147 embedded in transactioncard 140. Merchant system 120 may transmit the account information and apurchase amount, among other transaction information, to financialservice provider system 110. Financial service provider system 110 maysettle the transaction by transferring funds from the customer'sfinancial service account to a financial service account associated withthe merchant.

Power module 145 may be any type of power management module that managesthe power requirements of transaction card 140. Power module 145 maycomprise, but is not limited to, a processor, a microprocessor, a verylarge scale integrated (VLSI) chip, an application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) afield-programmable gate array (FPGA), a physical containment for powermanagement components and electronic circuitry, etc. Power module 145may also include components configured to perform various functions, forexample, electronic power conversion, power control functions, batterycharging, voltage scaling, power sequencing, power source selection.Power module 145 may also be configured to control the flow anddirection of charging energy, for example, electrical power.

While transaction system 100 and transaction card 140 are depicted anddescribed in relation to transactions that involve customers, merchants,and financial service providers, it should be understood that theseentities are used only as an example to illustrate one environment inwhich transaction card 140 may be used. Moreover, it should beunderstood that transaction card 140 is not limited to financialproducts and may be any physical card product that is configured toprovide information to another device. For example, transaction card 140may be an identification card configured to provide information to adevice in order to identify the holder of the card (e.g., driver'slicense) or provide information about the holder of the card (e.g.,insurance card).

In an embodiment, transaction module 147 may include components such aselectronic devices, magnetic devices, electromagnetic devices, datastorage components, and/or other elements configured to receive, store,process, provide, transfer, transmit, conduct, send, delete, and/orgenerate information. For example, transaction module 147 may be amicrochip (e.g., Europay Mastercard® Visa® (EMV) chip), a communicationdevice (e.g., Near-Field Communication (NFC) device, Bluetooth® device,WiFi device). etc. In some embodiments, transaction module 147 mayfurther include physical identification and/or security components, suchas printed identification information (e.g., card number, customer name,customer signature, expiration date, security code, etc.), visualfeatures (e.g., colors, designs, pictures, logos, etc.), and the like.

In some embodiments, though not illustrated in figures, transactionsystem 100 may include a near field communication (NFC) enabled device,for example, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a blackberrydevice, a navigator, a music player, or the like. The NEC enabled devicemay comprise a processor, a memory, a computer program code or asoftware which may be stored in the memory. The software may includeinstructions for processor to control the operation of the NFC enableddevice. In some embodiments, NFC may be used for pairing of transactioncard 140 with the NFC enabled device associated with a user. The usermay receive notifications and information related with transaction card140 through a wireless protocol, for example, Bluetooth Classic,Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), or the like.

FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of transaction card 140 and FIG. 2Billustrates a bottom view of transaction card 140, consistent withdisclosed embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, a front surface 242 oftransaction card 140 may include, but is not limited to, power module145, transaction module 147, logos/designs, security chip,identification information such as customer name, identification number,account information, etc. The physical properties of transaction card140 (e.g., size, flexibility, location of various components included inthe card) may meet the various international standards, including, forexample, ISO/IEC 7810, ISO/IEC 7811, ISO/IEC 7812, ISO/IEC 7813, ISO/IEC7816, ISO 8583, ISO/IEC 4909, and ISO/IEC 14443. For example,transaction card 140 may have a dimension of 85.60 mm (width) by 53.98mm (height) by 0.76 mm (thickness), as specified in ISO/IEC 7810. Itwould be apparent to one of skill in the art that other dimensions andlayouts of card components of transaction card 140 are possible as well.Referring to FIG. 2B, rear surface 244 of transaction card 140 mayinclude, but is not limited to, magnetic stripe, emergency contactinformation, etc.

In some embodiments, transaction card 140 comprises power module 145including a power receiver 210 and a power supply unit 220. Powerreceiver 210 and power supply unit 220 may communicate with each otherwirelessly or through a wired connection. In some embodiments, thecommunication between power receiver 210 and power supply unit 220 maybe unidirectional. For example, power supply unit 220 may control theflow of charging energy from power receiver 210 to power supply unit220.

In some embodiments, power receiver 210 and power supply unit 220 may bedisposed in close proximity to each other within power module 145 toenable wireless energy transfer. Power receiver 210 and power supplyunit 220, both may be disposed on front surface 242 of transaction card140, or both may be disposed on rear surface 244 of transaction card140. Alternatively, power receiver 210 and power supply unit 220 may bedisposed on opposite surfaces, for example, power receiver 210 may bedisposed on front surface 242 and power supply unit 220 may be disposedon rear surface 244, or vice versa. In an embodiment where powerreceiver 210 and power supply unit 220 may be disposed on oppositesurfaces, for example, front surface 242 and rear surface 244, wired orwireless communication may be possible. In some embodiments, powerreceiver 210 and power supply unit 220 may be disposed farther away fromeach other, either on the same surface or opposite surfaces. In someembodiments, power receiver 210 may be a separately controlled,independent receiver circuit communicating with power module 145comprising power supply unit 220 (not shown).

In some embodiments. transaction module 147 may comprise a userinterface 230, a data storage device 235, and a processor module 240,disposed on front surface 242, as illustrated in FIG. 2A. User interface230 may comprise a lighted display including one or more of, but notlimited to, light emitting diodes (LEDs), multi-segmented display,liquid crystal display (LCD), active matrix organic light emittingdiodes (AMOLEDs), passive matrix light emitting diodes (PMLEDs), anaudio player, an audio-visual unit, etc. Referring to FIG. 2A, userinterface 230 indicates remaining battery charge of transaction card140. Other indicators, such as, for example, remaining balance, chipfailure, transaction status, unauthorized transactions, security breach,etc. may be displayed from transaction module 147 to a user via userinterface 230.

User interface 230 may be configured to communicate with othercomponents of transaction card 140, such as, for example, power module145. In some embodiments, user interface 230 may receive data from oneor more of merchant system 120, financial service provider system 110,network 130, etc. Transaction module 147 may comprise a communicationmodule (not shown) configured to enable communication between componentsof transaction card 140, such as, for example, user interface 230, andexternal system components, for example, merchant system 120. financialservice provider system 110, network 130, etc. For example, a user(e.g., a cardholder) may receive a visual notification via userinterface 230 indicating remaining balance, communicated by thefinancial service provider system 110 through communication module. Insome embodiments, the notification via user interface 230 may include,but not limited to, audio messages, audio-visual messages, hapticmessages, etc. It would be apparent for a person with ordinary skill inthe art to use other possible communication routes.

In some embodiments, user interface 230 may be configured tointeractively communicate with a user. Interactive communication withthe user may include receiving user input and/or providing feedback tothe user. The user input may include direct interaction with userinterface 230 or indirect interaction using an NFC enabled communicationdevice, such as, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet, etc.

In some embodiments, the user feedback may be provided to the user inreal-time. For example, user interface 230 may notify the user about alow-balance in an account during a transaction. In some embodiments, thenotification may be displayed on user interface 230 or communicated tothe user through a messaging system, such as, for example, an electronicmail, a short messaging service (SMS), or the like.

In some embodiments, transaction module 147 may comprise data storagedevice 235, such as, for example, a hardware-implemented database, adatabase, a server, a memory, etc. Data storage device 235 may beconfigured to store user account information, banking information,transaction history, etc. Data storage device 235 may comprise adatabase, a database server, a hardware-implemented database, anexternal drive, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static randomaccess memory (SRAM), a flash memory, an embedded multi-media controller(eMMC), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM),etc.

Transaction module 147 may also comprise processor module 240. Processormodule 240 may be configured to exchange transaction information withtransaction card terminal and process user account information. In someembodiments, the user account information stored in data storage device235 and transaction information may be authenticated to complete thetransaction. Processor module 240 may comprise a computer, amicroprocessor, a processing unit, an integrated circuit, an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), or the like.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of power module 145 comprising powerreceiver 210 and power supply unit 220. Power receiver 210 may includereceiver coil 310 and rectifier circuit 320. Power supply unit 220 mayinclude a primary rechargeable power source 330, power controller 340,and a secondary rechargeable power source 350.

In some embodiments, power receiver 210 may be configured to receivecharging energy (in the form of electrical power) from a source, suchas, for example, a transaction card terminal, an automated tellermachine (ATM), or a payment terminal. Power receiver 210 may beconfigured to receive energy via a contact mode, that is, a physicalinteraction, with transaction card terminal, an ATM, or a paymentterminal, by means of a contact mode component including, but notlimited to, inserting chip reader terminals, sliding contacts in a slot,etc. In some embodiments, interaction of transaction card 140 with thetransaction card terminal, or ATM, or payment terminal may be via anon-contact mode component, such as, for example, a Near-FieldCommunication (NFC) module, or other type of radio frequency module.

Power receiver 210 may comprise a receiver coil 310 and a rectifiercircuit 320. Receiver coil 310 may comprise an antenna, a coil of metalsuch as copper, or a RF antenna. Receiver coil 310 may be configured tocollect a signal from a terminal, such as a transaction card terminal orATM, during a transaction. The signal may be a wireless signal such asan RF signal or inductive signal. Receiver coil 310 may comprise anantenna suitable for frequency band of interest including, but notlimited to, 10 kHz to 500 kHz, 30 kHz to 300 kHz, 50 kHz to 200 kHz. ForNFC, 13.56 kHz is a preferable target center frequency. Other frequencyranges may be possible as well. Receiver coil 310 may include amonopole, a dipole, a microstrip patch fabricated on a printed circuitboard (PCB), or the like.

The incoming signal received by receiver coil 310 of power module 145may be transferred to rectifier circuit 320 to convert the receivedsignal to electrical energy. Rectifier circuit 320 may compriseimpedance-matching circuitry, voltage doublers, voltage regulators,filters, rectifiers, field effect transistors, diodes, capacitors, etc.

In some embodiments, power supply unit 220 may include primaryrechargeable power source 330, a power controller 340, and secondaryrechargeable power source 350. Power supply unit 220 may communicatewith power receiver 210 through a wired or a wireless connection. Insome embodiments, power supply unit 220 may also communicate with othercomponents such as, for example, security components, user interface230, communication module, power controller, etc.

In some embodiments, primary rechargeable power source 330 may comprisea supercapacitor such as, for example, an electric double-layercapacitor (EDLC), hybrid capacitor, pseudo-capacitor, etc.Supercapacitors may be useful in applications requiring many rapidcharging-discharging cycles, higher peak currents, low cost per cycle,reversibility, non-corrosive electrolyte, or low material toxicity.Electrical energy may be stored in supercapacitors via two storageprinciples: electrostatic double-layer capacitance and electrochemicalpseudo-capacitance. In some embodiments, primary rechargeable powersource 330 may comprise solid state batteries.

Supercapacitors may store electrical energy electrostatically at theinterface of electrodes and electrolyte. The electrodes of an EDLC arepreferably made of porous materials with high specific surface area, forexample, but not limited to, activated carbon, carbon fiber cloth,carbide-derived carbon, carbon aerogel, graphene, carbon nanotubes, etc.The electrolyte of an EDLC may comprise a solvent including positivelyand negatively charged ions, making the electrolyte electricallyconductive. The electrodes, namely anode and cathode, may be physicallyseparated by a separator. The separator may comprise materials havinggood conductivity for ions but chemically inert at the same time, forexample, nonwoven porous polymer films, polyacrylonitrile, woven glassfibers, porous woven ceramic fibers, etc.

In some embodiments, primary rechargeable power source 330 may berapidly charged by incoming electrical signals from power receiver 210.The charging time of first rechargeable power source 330 may be 0.5seconds or lower, 1 second or lower, 2 seconds or lower, 5 seconds orlower, 10 seconds or lower, 20 seconds or lower, 40 seconds or lower,100 seconds or lower. In a preferred embodiment, the charging time of asupercapacitor may be in the range of 1 to 10 seconds. The charging timeof primary rechargeable power source 330 may be significantly lesscompared to a conventional rechargeable battery, such as, for example, alithium ion battery.

Some of the advantages of using a supercapacitor compared to aconventional rechargeable battery may be reduced charge time, enhancedcharge-discharge cycles, high power density, reduced cost per energyunit, extended service life, fewer overcharging issues, self-limitingcharging, and broader charge and discharge temperature ranges.

Referring to FIG. 3, power module 145 may include power controller 340.Power controller 340 comprises a power management integrated circuit(PMIC), power management unit (PMU), power management block,system-on-chip device, a microcontroller, or a microprocessor, or thelike. Other suitable structures and device may be used to manage theflow and direction of electrical power within power module 145 and/ortransaction card 140.

In some embodiments, power controller 340 may include power converters,rectifiers, cold-startup unit, and interface circuitry configured toregulate the incoming and outgoing power. For example, in energyharvesting systems such as, for example, transaction system 100, thevoltage available from the source is typically fluctuating and a directcurrent-to-direct current (DC-DC) converter may be required to provideregulated voltage to other components of power module 145 or transactioncard 140. The DC-DC converter may comprise diodes, capacitors,inductors, transformers, switched-mode DC to DC converters, etc. Theinterface circuitry may be configured to control the DC-DC converter tomaximize power extraction from the energy harvester. This may beaccomplished by designing the circuitry to present an equivalent loadimpedance to match the output impedance of the harvester. Other suitabletechniques would be apparent to a skilled person in the art.

In some embodiments, power controller 340 may include a rectifierconfigured to rectify an incoming alternating current (AC) signal. Theincoming AC signal may be rectified prior to being applied to the DC-DCconverter. For example, if the energy harvesting source provides an ACinput to the system, such as in the case of radio frequency (RF) powerfrom a payment terminal, an additional rectification of the incomingwave signal may be performed prior to being applied to a DC-DCconverter. Other suitable forms of AC inputs such as vibration energymay be used as well.

In some embodiments, transaction module 147 may consume static power,such as, for example, power consumed during powering up, or in an idlestate when it is not harvesting energy. The static power may utilize thestored energy and may drain the charge of power sources if transactioncard 140 is unused over extended periods of time. In some embodiments,power controller 340 may include a cold-startup unit configured to allowpower module 145 to boot-up with zero or minimum initial energy stored.

In some embodiments, power controller 340 may include memory components,memory blocks, multiplexers, logic gates, clock generators, etc. forperforming functions associated with disclosed embodiments. In someembodiments, power controller 340 may include programmable memory, suchas, for example, One Time Programmable (OTP) memory to store aconfiguration for providing and managing power to transaction card 140and other components.

In some embodiments, secondary rechargeable power source 350 maycomprise a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, an alkaline battery, anickel-metal hydride battery, or a lead-acid battery. Secondaryrechargeable power source 350 may include a metal-oxide positiveelectrode (anode) that is coated onto an aluminum current collector, anegative electrode (cathode) made from carbon/graphite coated on acopper current collector, a separator, and an electrolyte made oflithium salt in an organic solvent.

In some embodiments, secondary rechargeable power source 350 may beconfigured to deliver large amounts of current to operate components oftransaction module 147 and/or power module 145. For example, powerstored in secondary rechargeable power source 350 may be utilized tooperate user interface 230, power supply unit 220, etc. In someembodiments, power stored in secondary rechargeable power source 350 maybe partitioned such that power allocations are possible based on thepower requirements of transaction module 147. For example, during atransaction more power may be required to operate the componentsassociated with communicating with a network 130 or financial serviceprovider system 110. In some embodiments, power supply unit 220 maycomprise more than one secondary rechargeable power source 350 (notshown) configured to provide back-up power, as needed.

In some embodiments, secondary rechargeable power source 350 may beconfigured to receive charging energy from primary rechargeable powersource 330 during a transaction using transaction card 140. Powercontroller 340 may regulate the flow of charging energy from primaryrechargeable power source 330 to secondary rechargeable power source350, as needed. In some embodiments, secondary rechargeable power source350 may receive charging energy from primary rechargeable power source330 when transaction card 140 is not being used for a transaction.

In some embodiments, power controller 340 may be configured to determinewhether secondary rechargeable power source 350 needs to be recharged,and power controller 340 may be configured to control the flow ofcharging energy from the primary rechargeable power source 330 tosecondary rechargeable power source 350 based on the determination. Insome embodiments, power controller 340 may also be configured tocommunicate information regarding the amount of stored energy in primaryand/or secondary rechargeable power source to the user through NFCenabled device associated with the user. The information may becommunicated through network 130 or other communication means.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of energy harvesting scheme fortransaction card 140. Merchant system 120 may comprise an ATM 410. Powerreceiver 210 of transaction card 140 may receive charging energy fromATM 410 during a contact mode transaction with ATM 410. For example,transaction card 140 may receive charging energy from ATM 410 whencustomer inserts transaction card 140 in ATM 410 for performing afinancial transaction, such as, for example, cash withdrawal, checkdeposit, bank balance, etc.

In some embodiments, transaction card 140 may receive charging energythrough a non-contact interaction mode with ATM 410 through, forexample, electromagnetic inductive charging. ATM 410 may comprise acomponent configured to transmit signals. Receiver coil 310 of powerreceiver 210 may receive the transmitted signals from ATM 410 and supplycharging energy to primary rechargeable power source 330 of power supplyunit 220.

In some embodiments, the user may receive notification on an NFC enableddevice during a transaction using transaction card 140 from ATM 410through a wireless protocol, for example, Bluetooth Classic, BluetoothLow Energy (BLE), or the like. In some embodiments, the notification mayinclude instructions for the user to allow the transaction card toremain inserted for a period of time sufficient to allow charging ofprimary and/or secondary rechargeable power source. The notification maycomprise visual, audio, haptic, audio-visual messaging, or combinationsthereof. Other notification methods may be used as well.

In some embodiments, power controller 340 may be configured to determinewhether a transaction card 140 has been unused for an extended period oftime. Based on this determination, power controller 340 may then forcepower module 145 into a power-saving mode to extend battery life.

In some embodiments, power module 145 and transaction module 147 may bein communication with each other. Power module 145 may determine whethertransaction module 147 requires additional power to perform atransaction successfully. In some embodiments, power module 145 maycomprise an algorithm, such as, a machine learning algorithm, a softwareimplemented algorithm, etc. to determine whether the stored energy inprimary rechargeable power source 330 and/or secondary rechargeablepower source 350 is sufficiently charged for successfully completing atransaction using transaction card 140. Upon determining that the storedenergy is sufficient, power controller 340 of power module 145 maysupply power to transaction module 147.

In some embodiments, transaction module 147 may communicate powerrequirements for its components to power module 145. For example, userinterface 230 of transaction module 147 may communicate directly orindirectly with power module 145. Upon receiving the communication anddetermining whether additional power is required, power module 145 maycommunicate supply power to user interface 230 of transaction module147.

In some embodiments, power module 145 may determine whether the combinedstored energy in primary and secondary rechargeable power source 350 isinsufficient and below a pre-determined threshold level, power module145 may notify the user through a visual, audio-visual, audio, or hapticfeedback, or combinations thereof, through user interface 230.Determining whether the combined stored energy is sufficient may beperformed through a self-executed algorithm. In some embodiments, thealgorithm may be executed based on a request or communication fromtransaction module 147.

In some embodiments, user interface 230 may be configured to display thestatus information of power module 145 and transaction module 147. Userinterface 230 may be programmable to display information based on userinput. For example, user may request status information of power module145 and/or transaction module 147 directly or indirectly through a NFCenabled mobile device. In some embodiments, user interface 230 may beprogrammed to display status information at a pre-determined time, or atregular intervals, etc.

In some embodiments, primary rechargeable power source 330 may becharged rapidly by receiving charging energy from power receiver 210.The received charging energy may then be delivered to secondaryrechargeable power source 350, regulated by power controller 340. Insome embodiments, output current from secondary rechargeable powersource 350 may be delivered through an electrical connection 420 tooperate transaction module 147 (not shown in figures).

In some embodiments, electrical connection 420 connects power controller340 to transaction module 147, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In such aconfiguration, power controller 340 may electrically “disconnect”secondary rechargeable power source 350 from power module 145 andtransaction module 147, when there is insufficient energy in primaryrechargeable power source 330 and/or secondary rechargeable power source350. Electrically disconnecting secondary rechargeable power source 350from power module 145 and transaction module 147 may prevent damage topower source 350.

In some embodiments, the flow of energy between power controller 340 andsecondary rechargeable power source 350 may be bidirectional, asillustrated in FIG. 4, for example, power controller 340 may supplyenergy directly to secondary rechargeable power source 350 during acharging cycle, or power controller 340 may receive energy fromsecondary rechargeable power source 350 and deliver energy totransaction module 147 for normal operation, when charging is notoccurring.

In some embodiments, when there is sufficient energy being supplied frompower receiver 210 and/or primary rechargeable power source 330,electrical connection 420 allows power controller 340 to individuallycharge secondary rechargeable power source 350, while using the surplusenergy to supply transaction module 147 during the transaction ensuringthat none of the energy from secondary rechargeable power source 350 iswasted.

In some embodiments, when secondary rechargeable power source 350 doesnot require charging, power controller 340 may supply the energy frompower receiver 210 and/or primary rechargeable power source 330 directlyto transaction module 147 for the duration of the transaction.

In some embodiments, electrical connection 420 may comprise wires,circuit board traces, or internal IC connections. Other suitableconnection methods may be used as well.

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method of hybridenergy harvesting for charging a transaction card (e.g., transactioncard 140, shown in FIG. 1) consistent with disclosed embodiments. FIG. 5is a process flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 500 of hybridenergy harvesting for charging a transaction card in accordance withdisclosed embodiments. The order and arrangement of steps in the processare provided for purposes of illustration. As will be appreciated fromthis disclosure, modifications may be made to the process by, forexample, adding, combining, removing, and/or rearranging the steps forthe process.

A first step 502 includes receiving charging energy by a power receiver(e.g., power receiver 210, as shown in FIG. 3) from a transaction cardterminal (e.g., ATM 410, as shown in FIG. 4) during a transaction. Insome embodiments, charging energy may be received by the power receiverupon interaction of the transaction card with the transaction cardterminal.

In a contact mode interaction, at least a portion of the transactioncard may be in physical contact with a transaction card terminal. Forexample, inserting the transaction card into a receiving slot of atransaction card terminal such that a transaction component, forexample, an EMS/chip may be in contact with the internal circuitry ofthe transaction card terminal. Other examples of contact modeinteraction may include swiping the transaction card, placing thetransaction card on a sensor pad, etc.

In a non-contact mode interaction, the transaction card may receivecharging energy from a transaction card terminal through electromagneticinductive charging, for example. The transaction card may be placed inproximity to the transaction card terminal such that the charging energycan be wirelessly received by the power receiver or an antenna (e.g.,receiver coil 310, shown in FIG. 3) of the transaction card.

In some embodiments, the transaction card terminal may comprise a signaltransmitter configured to transmit magnetic waves, received by a signalreceiver (e.g., receiver coil 310) of the transaction card. Theelectromagnetic field generated by the incoming signal (magnetic waves)may create a flow of charge within the receiver coil of the powerreceiver.

In step 504, at least a portion of the received charging energy may bestored into a primary rechargeable power source (e.g., primaryrechargeable power source 330, shown in FIG. 3). In some embodiments,the primary rechargeable power source may be a supercapacitor, such as,for example, an electric double-layer capacitor. The primaryrechargeable power source may be configured to be rapidly charged orrecharged from the received charging energy of the power receiver.

In some embodiments, the received charging energy may be transferredfrom the power receiver to the primary rechargeable power source througha wired connection, for example, connection 420, shown in FIG. 4). Thereceived charging energy may be transferred wirelessly as well.

In step 506, a secondary rechargeable power source (e.g., secondaryrechargeable power source 350, shown in FIG. 3) may be charged using atleast a portion of the stored charging energy in the primaryrechargeable power source. In some embodiments, the frequency andduration of charging or recharging the secondary power source may bedetermined based on the power requirements of the transaction card.

In some embodiments, the secondary rechargeable power source maycomprise a lithium-ion battery, for example. Other suitable powersources may be used as well.

In step 508, a power controller (e.g., power controller 340 of FIG. 3)may be configured to control the flow of charging energy between thepower receiver, primary rechargeable power source and the secondaryrechargeable power source. In some embodiments, controlling the flow ofcharging energy may include determining the required amount of chargingenergy. For example, during a transaction more power may be required tooperate the components associated with communicating with a network(e.g., network 130 of FIG. 1) or a bank (e.g., financial serviceprovider system 110 of FIG. 1).

In addition, the power controller may be configured to allow chargingenergy to flow only from the power receiver to the primary rechargeablepower source and may control the direction and amount of charging energyflowing from the primary rechargeable power source to the secondaryrechargeable power source.

The foregoing descriptions have been presented for purposes ofillustration and description. They are not exhaustive and are notlimited to the precise forms or embodiments disclosed. Modifications andadaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the art fromconsideration of the specification and practice of the disclosedembodiments. For example, the described implementation includessoftware, but embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented as acombination of hardware and software or in hardware alone.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theembodiments disclosed herein. The specification and examples should beconsidered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of thedisclosure being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A transaction card, comprising: a power modulecomprising: a first rechargeable power source configured to allowrecharging and further to receive energy from the transaction cardterminal during a transaction using the card; a second rechargeablepower source configured to receive energy from the first rechargeablepower source; and a power controller configured to control a flow ofenergy between the first and second rechargeable power sources; and atransaction module comprising: a data storage device storing accountinformation; a processor module configured to: exchange transactioninformation with the transaction card terminal; and process the accountinformation and the transaction information to effectuate thetransaction; and a user interface configured to display, in response toan input of a user of the transaction card, status information of thepower module and the transaction module, the status informationcomprising a remaining battery charge of the transaction card, the inputfrom the user being received from an external communication device. 2.The transaction card of claim 1, wherein the first rechargeable powersource is configured to receive energy upon interaction of the card withthe transaction card terminal.
 3. The transaction card of claim 1,wherein the data storage device comprises one of a contact mode outputcomponent or a non-contact mode component.
 4. The transaction card ofclaim 1, wherein the first rechargeable power source is configured toreceive energy through at least one of electromagnetic induction,inductive coupling, or resonant inductive coupling.
 5. The transactioncard of claim 4, wherein the first rechargeable power source comprisesat least one of an electric double-layer capacitor, a pseudocapacitor,or a hybrid capacitor.
 6. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein thesecond rechargeable power source is configured to receive energy duringperiods other than when a card transaction is occurring.
 7. Thetransaction card of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured tointeractively communicate with the user.
 8. The transaction card ofclaim 7, wherein the second rechargeable power source comprises at leastone of a lithium-ion battery, an alkaline battery, or a nickel-metalhydride battery.
 9. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein the powercontroller is further configured to control a flow of energy between thetransaction card terminal and the first rechargeable power source. 10.The transaction card of claim 1, wherein the power controller comprisesat least one of a power management integrated circuit, a microprocessor,a power management unit, or an application-specific integrated circuit.11. A transaction card, comprising: a power module comprising: a powerreceiver configured to receive energy from the transaction card terminalduring a transaction; and a power supply unit including: a firstrechargeable power source configured to allow rapid recharging andfurther to receive energy from the power receiver; a second rechargeablepower source configured to receive energy from the first rechargeablepower source; a power controller configured to control a flow of energybetween the first and second rechargeable power sources; and atransaction module comprising: a data storage device storing accountinformation; a processor module configured to: exchange transactioninformation with the transaction card terminal; and process the accountinformation and the transaction information to effectuate thetransaction; and a user interface configured to display, in response toan input of a user of the transaction card, status information of thepower module and the transaction module, the status informationcomprising a remaining battery charge of the transaction card, the inputfrom the user being received from an external communication device. 12.The transaction card of claim 11, wherein the power receiver isconfigured to receive energy upon interaction of the card with thetransaction card terminal.
 13. The transaction card of claim 12, whereinthe interaction of the card with the transaction card terminal is one ofa contact interaction or a non-contact interaction.
 14. The transactioncard of claim 11, wherein the power receiver is configured to receiveenergy through at least one of electromagnetic induction, inductivecoupling, or resonant inductive coupling.
 15. The transaction card ofclaim 11, wherein the power controller is further configured to controla flow of energy between the power receiver, the first rechargeablepower source, and the second rechargeable power source.
 16. Thetransaction card of claim 11, wherein the user interface is furtherconfigured to interactively communicate with the user.
 17. Thetransaction card of claim 16, wherein the second rechargeable powersource comprises at least one of a lithium-ion battery, an alkalinebattery, or a nickel-metal hydride battery.
 18. The transaction card ofclaim 11, wherein the first rechargeable power source comprises at leastone of an electric double-layer capacitor, a pseudocapacitor, or ahybrid capacitor.
 19. The transaction card of claim 11, wherein thepower controller comprises at least one of a power management integratedcircuit, a microprocessor, a power management unit, or anapplication-specific integrated circuit.
 20. A method of managing powerin a transaction card, the method comprising: receiving, at a powermodule, energy from a transaction card terminal during a transaction;storing, by the power module, at least a portion of the received energyinto a first rechargeable power source; charging, by the power module, asecond rechargeable power source using at least a portion of the storedenergy; controlling, by the power module, a flow of energy between thepower receiver, the first rechargeable power source, and the secondrechargeable power source; storing, by a transaction module, accountinformation associated with a user; exchanging, by the transactionmodule, transaction information with the transaction card terminal;processing, by the transaction module, the account information and thetransaction information to effectuate the transaction; and displaying,by the transaction module, in response to an input of a user of thetransaction card received from an external communication device, statusinformation of the power module and the transaction module, the statusinformation comprising a remaining battery charge of the transactioncard.